24. Life in the Czech Republic
HISTORY
Czech countries were born more than one thousand years ago. The Czech history which has always been
interwoven with the European history is very rich and offers many interesting facts about lives of societies
through the centuries.
In 1918, after the defeat of Austria-Hungary, several centuries of Habsburg rule came to an end with the
birth of independent Czechoslovakia, uniting the Czechs and Slovaks in one nation-state. During the years
between the two World Wars, the First Republic (as it is referred to) was a rapidly developing industrial
society, with a stable democratic system of governance and a vibrant cultural and intellectual life. However,
the Munich Agreement, signed in October 1938, essentially sealed Czechoslovakia´s fate and led to the
occupation by the Nazi Germany in March 1939. At the end of the World War II, Czechoslovakia fell under
the sphere of the Soviet influence. In 1948, the Communist Party had taken full control of the state and
Soviet dominance extended for the next 40 years.
„The Velvet Revolution“ took place in November 1989 and is referred to as „velvet“ simply because there
were no casualties. On November 17th, following the events in the neighboring East Germany (the Berlin
Wall was taken down), a student demonstration confronted the police in the center of Prague. More
extensive demonstrations followed with Vaclav Havel at the forefront, until the Communist government
resigned on December 3rd, 1989. Vaclav Havel was elected president on December 29th, 1989.
The separation of the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic into Czech Republic and Slovak Republic took
place in January 1993. Although the Czechs did not want the country to be separated from Slovakia, the
economic circumstances and objectives of the two newly emerging market economies varied significantly.
The Czech Republic applied for EU membership in 1996 and started negotiations in March 1999. On 16
April 2003 the Treaty on Accession of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary,
Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia was signed in Athens. On 1 May 2004, the Czech Republic became a
full member of the European Union.
Source: Businessinfo.cz, 2017
QUALITY OF LIFE
The Czech Republic ranks 19th of 61 countries in the worldwide quality-of-life index and has the best result
among the countries of Central and Eastern European.
Quality of life index, 2016
Rank
Country
Score
1
2
3
4
…
19
20
24
32
43
57
Switzerland
Austria
Norway
New Zealand
…
Czech Republic
Japan
United Kingdom
Slovak Republic
Poland
Hungary
9.83
9.71
9.71
9.56
…
8.20
8.11
7.92
6.68
5.36
3.69
Source: IMD World Competitiveness Online, 2017
Last update: March 2017
Fact Sheet No.24 – Life in the Czech Republic
HOUSING
Prague and all larger cities in the CR boast a wide range of rented furnished and unfurnished housing for
expatriates and their families, ranging from centrally-located apartments to spacious villas in leafy suburbs.
Many real estate agencies offer relocation services for a charge of one to two months’ rent.
The sale and rental prices of residential premises can vary widely depending on the city, location, size and
quality. The average purchase price in Prague per m2 is EUR 1,550-2,000, in Brno EUR 1,350-1,400 and in
Ostrava EUR 500-550. The average monthly rent / flat 60m2 is in Prague EUR 700, in Brno EUR 470 and in
Ostrava 330. The prices in other cities are lower than those in Prague or Brno (Source: RealityMix, 2017).
MEDICAL CARE
The Czech healthcare system is inspired by the European tradition, founded on public services and
financed by predominantly public means. Czech physicians are at least of the same quality as in Western
European countries. Prague and other cities enjoy wide range of public and private hospitals and clinics –
these are some examples of them - Top Moravia Health Brno (www.tmhklinika.cz), Doctor Health Centre
Prague (http://doctor-prague.cz/), GHC Clinic Prague and Brno (www.ghc.cz), Canadian Medical Care
Prague (www.cmcpraha.cz/en-US).
TRANSPORT
Public transport in the Czech Republic is comprehensive, efficient and very reasonably priced compared to
Western Europe. Large towns all boast excellent local networks.
Foreigners who spend more than 185 days per year in the Czech Republic must obtain a Czech driving
license in addition to their own license by presenting the original license at the local authority at place of
residence. The deadline for applying for a Czech license is 90 days after the issue date of the long-term
visa.
ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS AND FOOD
Prague and many cities in the Czech Republic are famous for their architectural heritage (see, e.g., the
UNESCO World Heritage List at whc.unesco.org/en/list, which includes 12 places in the Czech Republic),
museums, theatres, cinemas, galleries, historic gardens and cafes. An overwhelming choice of cultural
events is on offer, embracing all types of music and an outstanding theatrical tradition. A number of foreign
culture centres, ranging from the British Council to the Goethe-Institut, also offer a wide range of events and
services (see “Other Leisure Activities” below).
A wealth of foreign language publications exists in the Czech Republic, including the Prague Post, Prague
Business Journal, The Prague Tribune (English) and Prager Zeitung (German).
Restaurants in the Czech Republic cater to a wide range of tastes. In larger cities all types of international
cuisine are available, from renowned traditional Czech food to Asian specialities. Alongside the country’s
famous Czech pubs (with the famous Czech beer brands), larger cities and especially Prague boast an
extensive number of pubs and restaurants catering especially to foreigners, ranging from Irish pubs to
Indian restaurants. For more information, see the restaurants guides at, e.g., www.grand-restaurant.cz.
SHOPPING
Retail in Prague and all larger cities has undergone a revolution in the past decade with many big shopping
centres now located within and around the cities. Local concepts of shopping and customer service are now
comparable to those of Western European countries, and major international retail chains (e.g., Tesco,
Billa, Makro, IKEA, OBI, Bauhaus and others) as well as boutique stores (e.g., Zara, C&A, Marks&Spencer,
Promod, H&M, Next, Max Mara and others) are found in abundance.
SPORT
In keeping with its reputation as a highly successful sporting nation, the Czech Republic provides a wealth
of sporting opportunities. The most popular sports are ice hockey, football (soccer), basketball, tennis,
volleyball, swimming and table tennis, for which there are many clubs and stadiums in all regions of the
country. In addition to these sports, all kinds of other sports are also catered to, including rowing, canoeing,
squash, beach volleyball, baseball, gliding, paragliding, parachuting, bungee jumping, go-cart racing,
paintball, curling, etc. For more information, see the website of the Czech Sports Association at
www.cstv.cz.
Last update: March 2017
Fact Sheet No.24 – Life in the Czech Republic
GOLF
Golf is growing rapidly in popularity. There are 106 outdoor courses - 36-hole courses, 27-hole, 18-hole, 9hole courses, indoor courses, driving ranges and courses under construction throughout the Czech
Republic. For more information, see the website of the Czech Golf Federation at www.cgf.cz or see the
interactive map of golf courses on the CzechInvest website.
9-
9
18
18+
+
Golf
courses
(outdoor)
Registered
players
Czech
Republic
106
56 352
Poland
39
4 021
Hungary
12
1 498
Slovakia
22
7 644
Country
Source: Czech Golf Federation, 2017
Source: European Golf Association, 2017
OTHER LEISURE ACTIVITIES
Most embassies run clubs, groups and even bars for fellow nationals and will be happy to give you details
of family-oriented events. There are many international cultural institutes in Prague and other cities, e.g. the
British Council in Prague, Brno and Pilsen (www.britishcouncil.cz), the Goethe-Institut Prag
(www.goethe.de/ins/cz/pra), the American Culture and Trade Center Prague, Österreichisches Kulturinstitut
Prag, L'Institut Français de Prague (www.ifp.cz), the Japanese Information and Culture Centre Prague,
Istituto Italiano di Cultura Praga (www.iic-praga.cz), Instituto Cervantes Praha (praga.cervantes.es) etc.
The International Women’s Association of Prague (www.iwa-prague.com) is a highly popular club for Czech
and foreign women (approx. 300 women from over 35 different countries) that organises classes,
international activities, charity and social events and children’s groups of all types. IWAP is an independent,
non-political, non-profit making organization, whose purpose is to welcome all women living in the CR.
For further information about life in the Czech Republic, you can also visit the website www.expats.cz.
WEATHER AND CLIMATE
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country located in moderate geographical latitudes in the Northern
Hemisphere. The climate of the Czech Republic is mild but variable locally and throughout the year.
The climate differs markedly among the various regions of the Czech Republic, depending on the height
above sea level. Generally speaking the higher you are, average temperatures may drop more and rainfall
is more likely. Many other factors also play a role in this – the border mountain ranges, for example,
significantly influence ground-level air flow and rainfall.
Various height levels of the sun during the year cause the changing of the seasons, differentiated from each
other mainly by the development of temperatures and precipitation. Similarly to the whole moderate
northern band, the beginning of the year in the Czech Republic is also characterized by a cold winter. After
this comes spring, followed by a warm summer and chilly autumn.
Last update: March 2017
Fact Sheet No.24 – Life in the Czech Republic
SELECTED INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS
International Secondary Schools
International School of Prague
www.isp.cz
English
Prague
The English College
www.englishcollege.cz
English
Prague
English International School of Prague
www.eisp.cz
English
Prague
Riverside School
www.riversideschool.cz
English
Prague
Prague British School (several branches)
www.pbschool.cz
English
Prague
1st International School of Ostrava
www.is-ostrava.cz
English
Ostrava
1st International School of Brno
www.isob.cz
English
Brno
International School in Olomouc
www.ischool.cz
English
Olomouc
Deutsche Schule
www.dsp-praha.cz
German
Prague
Lycée Français de Prague
www.lfp.cz
French
Prague
Secondary School at Russian Embassy
www.ruschool.cz
Russian
Prague
Source: National Institute of Children and Youth, 2017
Note: Internationally accredited schools outside of the Network of Czech Schools following foreign curriculums.
Selected Schools Teaching in Foreign Languages
Kindergarten
Bumble Bee
www.bumblebee.cz
English
Prague
Die Grundschule der deutsch-tschechischen
Verständigung
www.gtmskola.cz
German
Prague
www.kidscompany-praha.eu
English/
German
Prague
Bernard Bolzano Grundschule
www.skolabolzano.cz
German
Tabor
Park Lane International School
www.parklane-is.com
English
Prague
Japanese School in Prague
www.jpschool.cz
Japanese
Prague
Thomas Mann Gymnasium
www.gtmskola.cz
German
Prague
The Prague British School
www.pbschool.cz
English
Prague
Lycée Matyáš Lerch
www.gml.cz/fr
French
Brno
The English College
www.englishcollege.cz
English
Prague
Lycée Pierre de Coubertin
www.gymta.cz/informace/resume_fr.html
French
Tabor
Lycée Slave
www.sgo.cz
French
Olomouc
Lycée Jan Neruda
www.gjn.cz
French
Prague
Thomas Mann Gymnasium
www.gtmskola.cz
German
Prague
KIDS Company
Primary Education
Secondary Education
Source: National Institute of Children and Youth, 2015; CzechInvest, 2017
Note: Schools within the Network of Czech Schools working with the curriculum established by the Czech Ministry of Education.
Universities
There are over 40 universities, public and private, offering courses in foreign languages (mostly in English)
and almost 10 accredited institutions offering MBA education. The courses are usually paid, but there may
be exceptions (e.g. language course as part of a scholarship). The Institute for Language and Preparatory
Studies (www.ujop.cz) offers teaching of Czech language to foreigners and preparing them for university
studies. Foreign students can receive a scholarship under bilateral international agreements on cooperation
in the field of education (offered by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport of the Czech Republic) or
within the framework of the Foreign Development Aid (offered by the Government of the Czech Republic).
Information about these scholarships is available at Czech embassies and consulates. Some higher
education institutions offer student mobilities under bilateral university agreements or grant scholarships for
excellent study results or in cases of hard circumstances of a student. European students can take the
advantage of number of exchange programmes (e.g. Erasmus, EEA/Norway Financial Mechanisms, Aktion,
Ceepus). The Erasmus Mundus programme offers scholarships also for non-European students to study
selected degree courses.
Source: CzechInvest, 2017; National Agency for European Educational Programmes, 2017
Last update: March 2017
Fact Sheet No.24 – Life in the Czech Republic